Death And The Silver Ring
by gloomren
Summary: Death telling the story of an unusual friendship between a German soldier and a Jewish girl. The Book Thief crossover. One-shot.


**A/N:** I had this story idea a long while ago. One of Nisha's edits inspired me to write a Draconnie one-shot. I know it's coming out of no-where to throw The Book Thief and The Vampire Diaries in a pot.

The story takes place in Germany around 1934, a Germany before World War II. So I had to change their names a bit.

German words: Mädel (= lass, girl)

Characters: Death, Bonnie Bennett as _Bona "Bonnie" Berger,_ Draco Malfoy as _Dirk "Draco" Frentzel_, Kol Mikaelson

Ships: Draconnie, slight Kennett

Fandoms: The Book Thief, The Vampire Diaries, Harry Potter

Place: Pre-war Germany

The cover art is the very creation of the lovely Nisha (esmeralda312). I'll probably be forever in love with it!

And thank you so much for the reviews (Nisha, leni18 and Guests)! I was grinning like an idiot while reading them! You are awesome!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They are the creative property of Markus Zusak (god bless his flawless writing!), J.K. Rowling, L.J. Smith and The CW. No copyright infringements intended.

* * *

**Death And The Silver Ring**

* * *

You must have heard of me along the way. Mostly, people are trying to avoid me these days. And I must say, I understand. With all the coloured images on the screens who would enjoy thinking of such a dry truth?

Death.

No matter what era. I am all that remains. My identity never loses its shocking effect. Call it a curse or a blessing. I am the ubiquitous one.

Oh, I can hear you complaining. You are probably not eager to hear how I'm collecting souls. Leading them to eternity. Or how it sometimes kills me how people die. But no worries. I'm not going to start to complain. It is not something I do. I'm far away from judging the cycle of this world. I'm Death. I'm the objective one here.

Still, there's a story I want to tell. It takes place in pre-war Germany. A story about Bona Berger. A dark-haired girl with hopeful sparkles in her eyes. And a skinny boy with light hair that never stopped chasing her. Dirk Frentzel.

I don't know when I started to watch them. I do that sometimes. Watch people. It's not something I should do. Getting close to them. Because in the end I'm the one to rip them apart from this world.

But it must have been the fights on the football field that drew my attention. Or just the fact that it had been one of those dark eras. Eras where people are unaware of the beauty of this world. Eras where they care more about destruction than the plain beauty of the sky.

These are the worst.

So I might have looked for some distraction from all the misery. I had been around for a far too long time. Long enough to know exactly where this was going. And these were the years the words of Mein Kampf echoed in the streets. A sign that its author had taken over the empire.

The girl was obviously unique. So was the boy. People called him Draco. Draco as the mythological creature that caused trouble with his unpredictable impulsion. To the girl's dismay, he called her simply Bonnie. And as odd as it seems, it's also the name I refer to her since then.

It had been on their walk home from school when I first noticed them. Noticed them as individuals. I'm bad at remembering dates but I never forget the colours of the sky. In that moment the sky was dipped into a warm orange. The last rays of the sun fighting the upcoming darkness of the night. It was the time both of them were still allowed to attend the same public school.

She was wearing a blue dress with frills at the hem of her sleeves. And the two dark bunches of hair were dancing wildly as she was rushing away from him through the grey streets of Stuttgart.

The blonde boy's ochre shirt was partly unbuttoned and rumpled. His hair was standing up messily into all directions. The bright sludge on his trousers was mocking him. I knew immediately that he would get a sermon from his mother once he got home. But he seemed to have other priorities at this point. He ran his fingers through the messy blonde hair strains to bring them down while trying to catch up with her.

"Bonnie, wait!"

The girl stopped in her tracks to turn around.

"I can't believe you punched him, Draco!"

The blonde boy that had been following almost bumped into her. He put on a sweet smirk in the hopes to calm her down.

"Me neither, but I did," he shrugged before closing the gap between them. "Isn't that the perfect time to award me with a kiss, Mädel?"

But it only made her glare at him furiously. Obviously, she was raising the roof.

"He asked for it, Bonnie," he defended himself.

He had his hands in his pockets, head held high in a proud attitude. But the girl crossed her arms and competed with his confident gesture.

"Excuse me?" She was yelling now.  
"Stevo didn't do anything!"

Draco scoffed. The corner of his mouth slid down putting a grimace on his face. But soon his impatient nature took over.

"Stevo's a born gypsy," he shot back. "His whole family is nothing but vermin. He doesn't have to do anything to get his face demolished!"

Bonnie let out a forced laugh. "Oh, and you have the right to decide on who deserves what!"

"He took my seat and that was my way to tell him to move," he growled. The form of his jugular was visible now.

"And I'd do it again."

Bonnie shook her head making her pigtails swirl with her movement. She stepped closer to him grabbing his collar harshly. She seemed to have more confidence than any other average 12-years-old girl. Draco's face enlightened expectantly at the contact.

"You deserve much worse," she dared him with her head held high. "But this is all you get for now!"

Still his collars in her hands, she simply pulled him down while kicking right into his guts with her knee. Draco was obviously caught by surprise. I bet, the delusional boy he was he had been expecting a kiss. She stormed away from the boy that was gasping for breath now.

"My father is a noble soldier," the boy yelled after her. "You will pay for this!"

His face was even paler than before. Bonnie stopped in her tracks for a second.

"It's not wise to dwell on titles," she mumbled. "I'm the 'Jewish girl' and still could take you down." She gave him a deadly glare.

"You should fear the ones without a name. The ones you know nothing about. The ones you see inferior and weak without proper proof."

Draco's blue eyes turned dark. He just stood there and narrowed his eyes with confusion written all over his fair face.

"What does that mean?"

His voice was the merest hiss. It was all he could bring up at that moment. He was just a little boy. Boys don't understand such deep words. Well, at least not right away.

* * *

I could have stopped watching them. But I didn't.

I just had a feeling that it wouldn't be fair. It wouldn't be fair to miss the story of the girl that wasn't afraid of pointing out her opinion. The girl that was unaffected by the classic obedient image of a maiden.

And then there was this change about the boy. Over the years he got this insecure look on his face. The one that makes you look lost. It was as if his whole nature was in progress, ready to be rearranged.

Draco had even stopped giving Stevo despising glares. He started to see the world in a new angle. And truly, he was growing into the equal of Bonnie. Both were a rare piece of art, indeed. Two souls full of light in the midst of the thickening darkness.

Every single death that drew me to Stuttgart gave me another glimpse on the relationship between the soldier's son and the Jewish girl. Draco's interest in Bonnie grew more than ever with every passing day. Although it had gotten hard for him to see her.

As soon as both turned 16 Bonnie was no longer allowed to attend the common public school. She was stuck in the Jewish district. And Draco was forced to be a member of the Hitler Youth. A pointless military academy to raise the soldiers of the future.

He had to crawl down on mud, jump into ice-cold water, run until he felt like his lungs were pinched, for no particular reason. He had witnessed the death of his friend on that training camp. And apparently all of it was for the German folk. I'm certain that Draco doubted that. But after refusing one of the orders his punishment had been painful enough to convince him: He had to keep his damn mouth shut.

Sometimes he would sneak out at night to practice secretly for his dream job. He could see himself in the stadium. Draco, the professional football player. Unfortunately, his father was one of the most loyal supporters of the regime. There was no option to open up to him. He was all alone in his fight.

* * *

"You're almost 18, Draco. You'll become a real soldier soon." Bonnie smiled weakly toward the sky. They were sitting on the grass in her back yard.

I still remember that the Orion was visible along with other constellations typical for a clear night in March. It was the midst of the night. The only time the son of a SS-soldier could see his Jewish friend without causing trouble for both of them.

The young man didn't seem too excited about his soldier career. He never was. Whenever Bonnie asked him about what they were doing on the camp he put her off with a sour face. Bonnie's green eyes were glistening with astonishment when she regarded his pale face curiously.

"I hate it there," Draco mumbled. He laughed bitterly. "And I definitely don't want to be a soldier."

"It can't be worse than the Jewish School I have to attend," She made a disgusted face. "I feel like they are fabricating idiots there."

Her words didn't enlighten his mood as usual. Caringly, Bonnie turned around to face him.

The blond boy had his elbows on his knees. His hands slid up his face pushing his blonde strains up nervously. Draco hold his hair in his hands and it looked like he was desperate enough to tear them out.

He wasn't even regarding the night sky as he always did. Instead, his eyes were focused on the grass as if he was hoping to make it grow with his bare look. But soon it was all covered up under his playful smirk.

"Hey, Bonnie. Since I'll be off to far land soon," his smile got bigger as he was focused on her face sliding his gaze to her lips. For a moment he was that skinny blonde boy again she'd punched as a 12-years-old.

"How about that kiss now, Mädel?"

Bonnie groaned. That was the one thing about him that never changed. Whenever he got the chance he demanded her to kiss him in his own teasing way. I'm positive, she didn't know if it was a joke anymore. That uncertainty vanished when she saw his next move. Bonnie's green eyes widened when Draco leaned in closer to her.

"N-no," she whispered through the silence of the night. She could see that this time was different. He was more determined. He didn't stop when her hands landed on his chest to push him away like the many times she had done before.

It was interesting to watch, indeed. As soon as his lips touched hers she relaxed. Her stiffened up shoulders went down. It was just an innocent peck on her skin.

Still, after he pulled away Bonnie's hands were covering her mouth with shaky hands as if she had been burned. She was still in trance when Draco's dark eyes studied her proudly like she was a piece of art.

"I'm glad you didn't punch me this time," he boasted. Then, the dragon boy's face turned serious.

She didn't say anything. Yet, the sparkle in her eyes were traitorously yelling things. Things that she might think about when no one was watching. Draco didn't seem to hear any of it, though. He stood up in silence with worry written on his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you," he declared with a husky voice. "I have 3 hours left to spend on the football field before Papa gets up. I should go."

I could see it. Bonnie wanted to make him stay. She wanted to tell him how she loved the touch of his lips. How she was lying in her bed sometimes, wondering how soft his chest was. But somehow, she kept silent.

The blond boy lurked out of the yard watching the street up and down before setting foot on it.

"Draco," the voice was a merest whisper but it was too familiar not to perceive it.

"You shouldn't do this if you don't want to." Bonnie.

The boy knew what she was referring to. It was her way of saying he should follow his dreams. Shove the military career aside. The old Draco would have made fun of that suggestion. But I knew exactly how much he had changed. Trust me, no one is a better observer than death himself. He was a boy craving to start a football career at this point.

Draco's face enlightened for the first time tonight when he returned her look. She was hiding behind the wooden fence barely showing her face. The boy watched her with longing eyes. As if he would love to reach out between the wooden pieces to feel her soft features on his fingertips. But I bet he didn't want her to get into trouble. He simply nodded before being swallowed by the darkness of the streets.

That had been one of the many secret conversations they had in Bonnie's backyard. Unfortunately, these peaceful days were not to last. But I'm not going to spoil the story for you now. Just remember that these were the days when fairy tales were cut off before they reached their happy end. And the days men killed books with fire.

I watched the Jews living in separated districts. But I never saw such hostility towards them in the land before. That day the deep blue sky was flecked with perfect cotton-wool clouds. It was as if their sheepishness was a camouflage for all the trouble that had occurred hours ago: The brutal devastation of Mr. Berger's store.

Mr. Rudolph Berger was a successful Jewish merchant. And that day he was kneeling in the midst of the mess of glass flinders covering his face with his hands.

"Why," he whispered in disbelief. "Why?"

It was a painful sight but I couldn't answer him. Here's another thing you need to know about me: I don't lie. If we'd ever cross paths, which will occur sooner or later, I don't want you to get your hopes up. The questions you have about the meaning of life; I don't know it either. There are things that should be accepted the way they are. Life is one of them.

I know how much all of you hate me. But I'm simply doing my job here. And trust me it isn't that pleasant. Even death has a heart after all.  
It wasn't pleasant to take Mr. Berger's soul either. Not only because he was Bonnie's father. More because it felt like his story wasn't told yet. It wasn't supposed to end in the hands of hate-filled men. But that wouldn't be the first time now, would it?

Unaware of the darkness that started to build up around them, the children stuck to their usual games. As soon as they were dismissed from their training academies they stormed to the apple tree of the grumpy, old man Herbert. It mostly ended up with him chasing them.

Draco shouldn't have joined them but he was one of the never-aging souls trapped in an 18-years-old's body. He hid the apples under his shirt while secretly rushing toward the Shtetl, the area where the Jews lived.

Draco knew that it was forbidden for him to enter that place. But as long as Bonnie was still seeing him as her friend he wouldn't let go of her. His chuckles fainted when he saw Bonnie sitting in front of her father's store. Her face was painted with tears and pain. And her white dress was stained into a murky colour. He regarded the apple he had been eager to give to her and hesitantly, he sat down next to her.

"Bonnie?"

"They say it was an accident and no one cares enough to question it," she mumbled with a shaky voice.

Her voice was cold as if the pain had numbed her senses.

"He was my father. And he's dead. And the officer said at least they got rid of another v-vermin!"

And now her face was covered up by her bronze hands shaking uncontrollably.

"B-but I-I can't do anything against this," she sobbed. "I'm all on my own now!"

The next moment a pale hand was covering hers.

"No, you're not," Draco's voice was firm. He squeezed her hand.

"I don't believe in the tales they keep telling me about a higher cause or racial theories!" he burst out.

Bonnie looked up, the pure fear written all over her face. She stared into his blue eyes.

They were blue, yes, but appeared much darker. A darkness that never failed to calm her down. I knew that she always felt safe staring at them. They were that familiar to her by now. If it wouldn't sound too ridiculous, I'm positive that Bonnie would describe them as her home.

It was as if he was hypnotizing her with a single look. Before she knew her hand was playing with a smooth strand of his blond hair. It was the strand that had always been covering his forehead. A reminder for Bonnie that the 10-years-old Draco from her childhood had not changed at all. He was still full of light. Unlike the other desperate souls trapped in the soldier camps.

Draco's eyes widened in surprise. I know exactly why. In all these years she had refused any form of physical contact.

Every time he tried to steal a peck from her cheek he had been turned down. Shakily, his hands slid to her face touching it softly. As if he wanted to make sure if this was real. Well, if this was a dream it wasn't perfect. Not after the things that had happened to her father. The blond boy regarded her bronze face for a while.

I'm positive that after all the ridiculous things he had to do on the camp today he was hoping to see her smile. That's why he had stolen that apple for her. But all he had was her worry-stricken face. And the tormented look in his eyes were proof enough. He missed her careless laugh whenever he exposed how much of a clumsy idiot he was.

Draco swallowed. "We have to run."

Bonnie had literally felt these words brushing against her lips. His face was that close now.

"We-what? No, that's not what I meant. We just have to reveal the truth about my father's death. Someone must have attacked him and-" He brushed his nose against hers making her shut her eyes in anticipation.

"No, Bonnie," he whispered. "It doesn't work like that now. A war is coming and we need to leave this goddamn land!"

And without waiting for an answer he took her hand and dragged her with him.

* * *

"Where are we going?" She was repeating the question he hadn't answered earlier. Her legs were shaky after all the shock of losing the only family she had left. Also, she had been following him for the past hour without a pause.

"This place is safe for now," Draco stood in front of the abandoned cabin. It was in the middle of the forest and even with the pain of losing her father, it was obvious that Bonnie feared to spend the night here.

Draco studied her eyes with his dark gaze. His hands shot forward pulling her into his arms. "I'm not leaving you, Bonnie."

Even the warmth of his body seemed to hurt her. As if she hated herself for enjoying it. Her father had lost his life after all and the only friend she had left was putting his own in danger. Tears painted her face. She buried her silent sobs in Draco's chest.

Draco didn't say anything. He just held her in his arms until she was too tired of crying.

"We should go inside now," he nodded toward the cabin. "Sometimes they march through the forest at night."

Bonnie must have known that he referred to the soldiers in their swastika-festooned uniforms.

The cabin was small with a simple chimney. Draco took off his jacket to lay it on the floor.

It was an interesting sight. A soon to be SS-soldier and a Jewish girl were sitting in front of the dancing flames of the chimney.

"I have something for you," Draco whispered. The girl looked up at him, her green eyes still broken.

Draco took out a glistening piece out of his pocket. He regarded the silver ring in his hand thoughtfully before reaching out for Bonnie's cheek. Bonnie closed her eyes at the gentle touch of his fingers. "I want you to promise me something."

His voice was collected as if he had practised this moment before.

She opened her eyes to meet his intense gaze.

"You will wait here until my friend Reiner picks you up and you will leave this godforsaken country. No matter what happens."

And this time it was Bonnie that couldn't comprehend his words. "What's that mean?" she whispered timidly.

Draco gave her a sad smile.

"It means Reiner will bring you over the border to Poland," his voice was hoarse. "And I will follow you there."

"No," Bonnie's eyes widened. She blinked to fight back her tears. "You have to stay here."

"I just want to be by your side, Bonnie," he stroked her hair soothingly. "That's all what matters."

"You will stay and become a soldier," she shook her head in anger. "You will do whatever it takes to survive!"

But Draco was as stubborn as her. He ignored her request and reached out for her hand. A brief smile flashed over his face.

"I always wanted to do that," he whispered. Gently, he led the ring on her finger. Bonnie frowned at his shaky hands.

"As long as you wear it," his blue eyes drilled into hers. "I'll know you think of me."

"Draco, please!" Bonnie's eyes were flickering with fear and irritation.

Draco took her hands in a tight grip. "I will follow you to Poland once you cross the borders. But we can't travel together. It's too risky."

Bonnie freed her hands from his hold.

"No," she shook her head angrily. "Once you betray them they will punish your family. I want you to stay here and survive! Please, Draco! Do it for the sake of your parents! Just try to survive!"

Bonnie rubbed the silver material on her finger. "You are the only one I have left," she whispered. "Just..survive."

"Hey, look at me," Draco lifted up her chin. "I will do it, Bonnie. For you. If that's what you want. I will do it."

He nodded obsessively.

"And I will find you," his face was closer now. "As long as I'm alive I will look for you."

Bonnie could feel his breath on her skin. She cupped his face with tears in her eyes. And the boy simply bowed his head to kiss the streaming drops away.

"I love you," his voice was clear and firm. "I've always loved you."

The words crossed his lips as if it was the most obvious thing. A merest fact he had never questioned.

I could see it in her dreamy state. The world had started to spin around her. Bonnie opened her mouth to get more air. His dark blue eyes were suffocating her. She covered her mouth with her hands but he shoved them aside gently.

"Don't hold it back, Bonnie," he mumbled with a broken voice. "It might be our last night."

"I love you, too," she whispered in one breath. She couldn't say more because her tears were falling again.

Draco seemed to forget about all the draining darkness around them. His face lit up at her words. The dark shadows in his eyes were replaced by a bright flicker. His fingers caressed her cheek moving to her plush lips. They were so soft that he had to stop there. He leaned in again to brush against the delicious skin with his lips.

Bonnie's hands shot forward to pull him in. Their lips tasted each other, skin nibbling at skin.

When Draco pulled away to watch her, it was as if a new conviction took over him.

As if he repeated the same words in his head. He would survive. For Bonnie. He would stay alive and find her.

Bonnie snuggled into his chest. His shirt was absorbing her tears hungrily.

It was clear as day. Bonnie knew this was a farewell. And so did Draco. So what was there left to say? They watched the flames while holding each other. And that moment was one of those worth remembering.

* * *

The next morning when Bonnie was up she was lying on Draco's jacket. A note was accompanying her, mocking her loneliness. She reached for it and froze.

"Thank you for the kiss, Mädel. It was worth waiting for."

The next time I saw Bonnie was 10 years later. I had to pick up a soul in one of London's popular suicide stations. King's Cross. That's when I noticed her wild dark hair. It was short now. She turned away to avoid the bloody scenery in front of her. A hand landed on her shoulder, pulling her into a pair of strong arms.

"Did you see him, Kol?" she mumbled in the raven-haired man's chest.

"He must have jumped in front of the train," her voice started to crack. "It..reminded me of that day again. The day they took my father's corpse away-"

"Shh," the young man whispered. He stroked her hair soothingly, leading her away from the crowd. "Let us take the cab instead."

Just when I was about to leave I saw him. The blond man in the black coat. Draco.

His boyish face was filled with scars. It was hard to believe this was the careless German boy that once fell in love with the strong-willed Jewish girl.

Draco was a skinny man with shadows on his face now. His movements were hectic, his gaze erratic. When he saw the corpse and the blood on the rail his face darkened as if he was reliving a trauma. He clung to his wallet with shaky hands walking timidly to the exit. But then he choked and stood still.

The wallet landed on the ground ensued by a hollow sound.

"No, no, no, no!" Draco kept whispering words, sinking down on his knees. He buried his face in his hands when his voice turned into a sob. "Surviiive."

"Sir?" It was the man with the raven hair again. "Are you alright, Sir?" The man left Bonnie's side to look after Draco. The young woman wiped her tears away and followed him.

"Stay aside, Kol," she nodded to the man. "He has a panic attack."

She turned to the blond man whose face was still buried in his hands.

"Everything's going to be alright, Sir," Bonnie crouched down.

"Just focus on your own breathing and take a deep breath," her voice was soft and soothing.

The man obeyed. And after a while, Draco's chanting stopped. His hands fell to his sides, exposing his face.

Draco was still breathing heavily and immune to the happenings around him. But it was the moment Bonnie saw his face.

She got up, stumbling back into Kol.

"What is it?" Kol took her hand gently. "Is something wrong with the gentleman?"

But Bonnie didn't turn to him. She just looked at the familiar face of the skinny man and blinked.

"Draco."

The blond man startled at the sound of the name. And when his eyes were up on her he froze.

They just looked at each other for a while, taking in all the new colours in their features.

Just like Draco, Bonnie had lost that powerful sparkle in her eyes. The sparkle with the pure lust of life. The soft crumbles on her lips were gone. And she seemed irritated and uneasy.

Draco's gaze fell on her finger. He noticed the wedding ring. And then there was another. A rather old silver ring she had settled on her skinny middle finger.

_As long as you wear it. I'll know you think of me._

He got up to his feet, his gaze never leaving hers. The way his blue eyes lit up at the sight of her face almost made him look like the 18-years old boy again.

"Bonnie," his voice was hoarse. He reached out a shaky hand. "You-you look well."

"Thank you," Bonnie returned his handshake carefully but she forgot to let go of him. "I hope you feel better now?"

Their hands were still entangled.

"Much better, thanks to your help," he said scarcely. But the look he was giving her was telling a lot more.

It was the story of all his longing and love for the petite girl he used to mock. The only girl that had ever defied him. The girl he kept chasing through the streets before the darkness had ravaged their country. Before the pain and torture that turned him into a numb piece of skin.

They still didn't notice their entwined hands.

"I'm glad to hear that," she forced a thin smile on her lips. But her eyes were too sad to make it believable. She was fighting with tears.

"Oh, you know each other?" Kol approached with a polite smile. Only then did Bonnie take notice of the strong grip of Draco. She let go of his hand.

"I'm Kol Mikaelson," the man shook Draco's hand. "I assume you already know my wife, Bonnie Mikaelson."

"Dirk Frentzel," Draco nodded. "Yes, I do. We grew up in the same town."

"That's a lovely coincidence!" Kol chuckled. "We were just heading to the Tea Room. How about you join us?" He turned to Bonnie. "What do you think, darling?"

"Sounds like a good idea," Bonnie put on a brief smile.

"So what do you say, Mr. Frentzel?" Kol insisted.

Draco cleared his throat. "Of course. I'd love to."

* * *

It is ironic but I went to the Tea Room later. Just to check on them. I felt like this would be a remarkable moment in their story.

When I arrived the waiter was approaching their table. "Mr. Mikaelson," he nodded. "You have a phone call, Sir."

"Excuse me," Kol got up with an apologetic look. "It must be one of my clients."

As soon as he left, the silence seemed to torture Draco.

"You're wearing my ring," he pointed out, his eyes still not meeting hers.

She didn't look up at him either. There was not much to say to a statement, after all.

"So did you leave Stuttgart?" she asked with a timid voice.

"I kept looking for you and the records led me here," his fingers smoothed down the table cloth. "How long..How long have you been living here?"

"Right after crossing the border to Poland I went to Paris and made my way to England to study psychology," she poured some tea in her cup. "It's been almost 10 years."

There was silence again.

"I did what you told me to," Draco's voice was shaky now. "I became a soldier, went to war and survived."

Bonnie's eyes were sparkling with grief again. She swallowed.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Bonnie?" Draco lifted his head to regard her face.

"Yes?" Bonnie looked up and finally their eyes were locked. The way it has been since their first argument.

They looked at each other for a while. Unwrapping all their brokenness and pain. Then, Draco started fidgeting.

Both stood up at the same time. They gave each other a brief glance.

"Take care of yourself, Bonnie," Draco nodded.

"You, too," Bonnie responded with a weak smile. Draco turned to leave and Bonnie blinked. Her nostrils were flaring up, lips curled up in pain.

But just when Draco made a few steps, he turned around again to rush back. And Bonnie was meeting him halfway already.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, hiding all of his grief in her shoulder.

Their faces were full of bitter scars now, haunted by tormented shadows. A mirror to all the sacrifices the darkness had asked for.

They were Draco and Bonnie. The German soldier boy and the unyielding Jewish girl that had loved to share their chuckles. Two souls whose fates had been tangled in some way. Two souls that were clinging to each other, holding their breath.

After some time, they let go and put some distance between them. But neither Draco nor Bonnie turned back to their seats.

"I held my promise," Draco mumbled. "I found you. And that's all that matters."

Bonnie nodded with a broken smile and bit her lip to hold back the urge to cry.

"I wish you a life full of light," Draco whispered. "The kind of light that I once found in your eyes."

His blue eyes drilled into hers for the last time. And even if Bonnie didn't say it out loud. The green sparkles in her orbs were screaming. They were promising him that she would always wear his ring. And the blue eyes lit up in response. He would always love her. Always and forever.

Draco's orbs were flooded by pain. He quickly turned his back, closing his eyes.

Bonnie bit harder on her lip. Her jaw was shaking from the sobs she was stuffing away.

"Please, Draco," she whispered. "Promise me that you'll be happy."

"I don't make promises I can't keep, Bonnie," he laughed bitterly. But it came out rather shaky through the fight against his tears. "You should know that by now."

She watched his black coat as he walked outside and was swallowed by the tremendous crowd of the streets of London.

The last thing I saw was her cold face. She looked so numb when she sat back, eyes on her cup.

Frankly, I knew from the beginning that life would tear them apart.

It was what the darkness had cost them. They were dead already, whispering my name in their longing dreams. Praying for their souls to be taken away. Objective Death-role aside, watching people die was killing me. Especially, when they died years before the day they would be buried.

I bet you've expected one of those happy endings. Or one of those that ended with a tragic death. See, not all stories are that straight-lined. Some have open ends you will never have the strength to fill in.

Still, I'm not here to pout. Without bitter ends we wouldn't value the happy ones, after all.

I found Draco on a hospital bed a few years later. His face had been bony, dark shadows under his eyes. Men in white were rushing to his side with hectic movements. But I knew this was his end. The end of the broken soldier.

The end of the boy that had dreamed about a football career. The boy that had spent hours picturing himself aside the girl with the green eyes.

Bonnie looked happy, though, when I came to take her. Her hair was grey and her skin full of lines. But a relieved smile had been on her lips. And I saw an ornament around her finger. The silver ring. Draco's ring.


End file.
